Longtime volunteer in Hudson, Mary Lou Morse, died Feb. 14

Hudson -- Mary Lou Morse, who volunteered for more than 60 years with a variety of organizations and helped found Hudson Community Service Association, died Feb. 14.

"She was a wonderful mother, so caring about us and she would do anything to help us in any way she could," her daughter, Mindi Morse said Feb 17. "One thing she did not want was her age in the paper."

The family declined to discuss details of her death.

"She loved helping others," Morse, said. "That was the main thing in her life -- helping her family and then helping her community."

Mrs. Morse requested no service, Mindi said. But she added that those who her mother helped over the years would have filled a church.

Mrs. Morse, a former home economics teacher at Hudson Middle School, was not only a founding member of HCSA, but begun an after-school program which eventually became the Hudson Community Education and Recreation and Department.

Mrs. Morse was also president of HCSA in the 1940s, Morse said.

"She actually started the decorating of the town and supervised the buying of the Christmas trees," Morse said. "She used to order all the wreaths and buy all the lights and make sure everything was set up correctly."

Many of the people helped by Mrs. Morse would often call her when they were "back on their feet" and ask how they could help others, Morse said.

People would call Mrs. Morse and tell her about people in need, according to Morse. Often Mrs. Morse would get a call in the early morning about people who had lost belongings in a fire the night before.

"By the end of the day they had gotten stuff," Morse said. "It was remarkable how she handled all of this over the phone -- she did it all over the phone because she had all these connections."

Mrs. Morse dedicated most of her life to helping others, including the last week of her life, Morse said.

"She was still writing checks for Hudson Community Service Association to help pay utility bills and help someone get their furnace repaired," Morse said.

Mrs. Morse has helped thousands of people in need with school clothes, food cards, furniture and other items they could not get, Morse said.

"It was unbelievable what all she did," Morse added.

Morse described her mom as "a stunning woman" and "beautiful on the inside and out."

When she was in college, Mrs. Morse won the "Beauty Battle" between the University of Akron, where she was attending, and Kent State University. Mrs. Morse was also a runway model for the former O'Neil's and Polsky's department stores in Akron and was named "May Queen," Morse said.

Mrs. Morse received many award for her service and giving, including a 2007 Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce volunteer excellence awards.

"Mary Lou was a wonderful contributing member of the Hudson community for many, many years," Mayor William Currin said Feb. 15. "She was the go-to-person whenever someone was in need. She was, and will remain, in my heart an amazing person."

The efforts and knowledge of Mrs. Morse "were endless when it came to directly and immediately helping in time of need," Currin added.

"I will forever be grateful that she chose to live her life in Hudson," Currin said. "Godspeed Mary Lou Godspeed."

Mrs. Morse is survived by daughter, Mindi, son, Stephen and granddaughter, Amy. The family will have a private memorial and is requesting no flowers.

The family asks that memorial contributions be made to EMS outreach Fund of Hudson 40 S. Oviatt Street Hudson, 44236 or to a favorite charity.